As is well known, in the field of record medium players, composite players such as double cassette tape players, a compact disc/cassette tape players (referred as to CD/cassette players hereafter), etc. are widely used. The double cassette tape player has two tape compartments each for accommodating a cassette tape therein. The CD/cassette player also has two compartments for accommodating a compact disc (referred as to CD hereafter) and a cassette tape, respectively. These compartments are covered with covers movably attached to the player for allowing loading/unloading of the cassette tape and/or CD into the corresponding compartments.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a conventional cover locking apparatus for a CD/cassette player will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the CD/cassette player 10 comprises a housing 12, a first cover 14 and a second cover 16. The housing 12 of the player 10 has two compartments (not shown), i.e.. a CD compartment and a cassette tape compartment. The CD compartment accommodates a CD therein. The cassette tape compartment accommodates a cassette tape therein. The first and second covers 14 and 16 are movably mounted to the front panel 18 of the housing 12 for covering the CD and the cassette tape compartments, respectively.
The second cover 16 is mounted behind the first cover 14, as shown by the broken line in FIG. 1. The second cover 16 is provided on a recess portion defined in the front panel 18 of the housing 12. The first cover 14 is provided for covering both the second cover 16 and the CD compartment, which are aligned adjacent to the each other.
Bottom ends 14a and 16a of the first and second covers 14 and 16 are pivotally mounted to front panel 18 of the housing 12. Thus, the first and second covers 14 and 16 can rockably move between their closed positions and their opened positions, respectively. The first and second covers 14 and 16 are biased by first and second cover bias means (not shown) such as springs so that the first and second covers 14 and 16 are rocked towards their opened positions in accordance with the first and second cover bias means. In the opened positions of the first and second covers 14 and 16, a CD and a cassette tape can be loaded into the CD compartment and the cassette tape compartment or unloaded therefrom, respectively.
The player 10 further comprises a pair of first and second lock release buttons 20 and 22 and a pair of first and second locking mechanisms (not shown). Both the first and second look release buttons 20 and 22 are mounted on the top 24 of the player 10.
The first locking mechanism is associated with the first lock release button 20 in the player 10. The first locking mechanism locks the first cover 14 in its closed position against the first cover bias means. The first lock release button 20 releases the first looking mechanism so that the first cover 14 is rocked to its opened position in accordance with the first cover bias means.
The second locking mechanism is associated with the second lock release button 22 in the player 10. The second locking mechanism locks the second cover 16 in its closed position against the second cover bias means. The second lock release button 22 releases the second locking mechanism so that the second cover 16 is rocked to its opened position in accordance with the second cover bias means.
The first and second covers 14 and 16 are automatically locked by the first and second locking mechanisms respectively, when they have been manually brought to their closed positions against the first and second cover bias means. The first and second covers 14 and 16 are brought to their closed positions by manually or automatically moving them against the first and second cover bias means.
The first cover 14 is opened by manually operating the first lock release button 20. The second cover 16 can be opened by manually operating the second lock release button 22, after the first cover 14 has been opened. The second cover 16 is closed by moving it against the second cover bias means. The first cover 14 is closed by moving it against the first cover bias means, after the second cover 16 has been closed.
According to the conventional CD/cassette player of FIG. 1, there is the possibility of operating the second lock release button 22 in the state that the first cover 14 is closed. Further the CD/cassette player has a somewhat inferior appearance because of both the first and second lock release buttons 20 and 22 protruding outside the player.
Referring now to FIG. 2, another conventional cover locking apparatus for a CD/cassette player will be described. The CD/cassette player of FIG. 2 has a construction similar to the CD/cassette player 10 of FIG. 1. Therefore, reference numerals used in the description of the CD/cassette player of FIG. 1 will be used to designate like or equivalent elements for simplicity of explanation in the following description of the CD/cassette player of FIG. 2 and descriptions for the like or equivalent portions will be eliminated hereafter.
As shown in FIG. 2, the CD/cassette player is different from the CD/cassette player of FIG. 1 in that the second lock release button 22 is mounted on the recess portion defined in the front panel 18 of the housing 12. Thus, the second lock release button 22 can be operated only after the first cover 14 has been opened. As a result, a malfunction of operating the second lock release button 22 can be prevented. Further the CD/cassette player has an better appearance than the CD/cassette player of FIG. 1 because of the second lock release button 22 being concealed by the first cover 20.
However, both the conventional cover locking apparatus of FIG. 1 and 2 still have some drawbacks. For example, the first and second covers 14 and 16 must be operated by separate lock release buttons, i.e., the first and second buttons 20 and 22. This causes a difficulty of operation during the loading of CDs and cassette tapes therein. The CD/cassette player of FIG. 2 is superior in the appearance in comparison to the player of FIG. 1, as described above. However, CD/cassette player of FIG. 2 still has a drawback in that the second lock release button 22 is difficult to operate because it is mounted on the recess portion.